PROGRAMME SUPPORT OFFICER (VOLUNTEER)

PROGRAMME SUPPORT OFFICER (VOLUNTEER) SOMALIA (BASED IN NAIROBI, KENYA) REF CON/SA/PSO

Concern Worldwide is an Irish-based non-governmental, international, humanitarian organisation dedicated to the reduction of suffering and working towards the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries.

Job Title: Programme Support Officer

Reports to: Programme Development and Advocacy Advisor

Job Location: This position will be based in Nairobi with travel when necessary to Hargeisa and/or Mogadishu (security permitting)

Contract Details: Volunteer Grade, Unaccompanied, 1 year contract

Job Purpose: Based in the Nairobi, the purpose of the Programme Support Officer is to support the Somalia programme staff, (based in Nairobi, Hargeisa and Mogadishu) as it relates to report and proposal writing, documentation and representation, in line with organisational and donor guidelines and standards.

Main duties & Responsibilities •Work with programme and policy staff to produce high quality donor and internal reports, proposals and other documents as requested.
•To produce reports and document for review by programme and policy staff or to finalise reports produced by other team members for submission to HQ and/or donors. •To contribute towards a high level of documentation standards – ensuring good record keeping, filing of reports and other finalised reports. •Maintain an appropriate library of all relevant documents; file both hard and electronic copies of all documents, including versions of reports ‘as sent to donor’ received from Dublin. •Draw up and maintain the annual reporting schedule in cooperation with programme managers and the country accountant, liaise with Dublin staff (Desk Officer) and in-country donors to confirm dates and donor requirements and circulate the agreed schedule to all relevant staff. •Overall responsibility for co-ordinating the reports schedule. Remind programme managers and relevant staff when reports are due and follow up on overdue reports. Provide on-going advice to staff and facilitate relevant capacity-building activities, such as report formatting •Contribute to the development of reporting formats for the individual programmes and liaise with staff as appropriate. •Assist in the co-ordination, implementation and documentation of case studies, programme research, etc. in collaboration with the Programme and Advocacy Advisor, enabling the integration of ‘lessons learnt’; ensure that information is translated as required in a timely manner and is made available to all relevant parties (communities, partners, staff, and donors). •Develop and implement appropriate organization-wide information management systems, such as a filing system, resource centre(s) etc.
•Record and produce the minutes management and programme meetings Team meeting and programme meetings/workshops as requested. Ensure timely circulation of minutes and notes. •Contribute towards the design and facilitation of production of promotional materials, including programme documentation and case studies

Person specification: Essential •Educated to Degree level in Development or a related discipline. •The successful candidate will have at least one year’s overseas experience with an international NGO; will have experience of working in a high pressured, results focused and dynamic environment. S/he will be a flexible team player who will also be able to able to work independently of direction. •Excellent writing skills •Good organisational and planning skills/experience •Good communication skills •Confident and capable communicator •Able to take initiative and work independently; •Ability to work with diverse teams •Excellent interpersonal skills •Very good Computer skills including Microsoft Word Excel PPt etc •Cultural and political sensitivity •Previous experience of participating or leading in proposal design and/or PCMS •Previous experience of working with institutional donors (ECHO, Dfid, Irish Aid or similar) •Experience of M&E •A hard-working flexible team worker

Desirable •Masters in Development or a related field (Humanitarian assistance) •Experience in the region •Familiarity with and empathy with the mission and vision of Concern •Knowledge of/exposure to humanitarian issues in Somalia ( is a distinct advantage) •Representation skills •Facilitation experience/skills •Emergency experience/exposure •Experience of representation, attending coordination meetings

All applications should be submitted through our website at www.concern.net/jobs by indicating the reference: CON/SA/PSO Closing date 7th August 2011 Please note that due to the urgency of this position, applications will be short listed on a regular basis and we may offer the post before the closing date.

Concern has a Staff Code of Conduct and a Programme Participant Protection Policy which have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of programme participants from exploitation and to clarify the responsibilities of Concern staff, consultants, visitors to the programme and partner organization, and the standards of behaviour expected of them. In this context staff have a responsibility to the organization to strive for, and maintain, the highest standards in the day-to-day conduct in their workplace in accordance with Concern’s core values and mission. Any candidate offered a job with Concern Worldwide will be expected to sign the Programme Participant Protection Policy and the Concern Staff Code of Conduct as an appendix to their contract of employment. By signing the Programme Participant Protection Policy and the Concern Staff Code of Conduct candidates acknowledge that they have understood the contents of both the Concern Staff Code of Conduct and the Programme Participant Protection Policy and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these two documents Concern receives a substantial amount of funding from external donors each year. Increasingly donors are introducing requirements whereby future funding is conditional on Concern ensuring that the names of any new employee or volunteer do not appear on terrorism lists generated by the European Union (List of person, groups and entities to which Regulation (EC No. 2580/2001 applies), the US Government (Office of Foreign Assets Control list of specially designated Nationals and Blocked Persons) and the United Nations (Consolidated List).
Any offer of employment (either paid or voluntary) with Concern Worldwide will not be made pending a clearance check being conducted on the applicant. For additional information please consult our web site or contact the Human Resource Division in our Head Office. Concern Worldwide is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community